Never to be outdone by Tulsa, Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City unrolled a new and aggressive list of incentives for airlines to add new flights.
As reported in The Oklahoman, the OKC Airport Trust approved incentives that include $50,000 for a low-cost airline to establish a new non-stop route to a neighboring state and as much as $200,000 for a new flight directly to LA or Washington, D.C.
If you recall,
a few weeks ago the Tulsa Airport Authority upped their incentives to lure new carriers and routes that includes $75,000 in marketing money for a flight to a new non-stop destination.
So who stacks up taller for incentives to airlines, since Tulsa and OKC are often competing for passengers, especially from places such as Stillwater?
The biggest difference is that OKC is looking for low-cost airlines, such as Spirit, Frontier and JetBlue. Frontier already has a flight from OKC to Denver, but more would help lower the costs.
Tulsa’s purposefully broadened their program to include more airlines and flights to just about any destination.
Airports can’t offer cash directly to airlines themselves, but they can offer money for billboards, newspaper ads and television and radio commercials.
OKC is offering $25,000 for a new airline to come into the airport and another $25,000 to $50,000 for every addition route.
Tulsa’s new plan calls for $75,000 for any new flight to a non-stop destination not already serving the airport. Tulsa International Airport’s incentive is for any destination not flying directly in and out of the airport.
Tulsa is also offering free terminal space to a new airline as well as landing fees for new destinations.
I haven’t yet heard about any landing or terminal fee discounts at Will Rogers.
As a smaller airport, Tulsa has a lot more to gain from bigger incentives.
Airlines got to 20 stops directly from OKC, compared to 16 from Tulsa. OKC also has the important non-stop flight to Los Angeles International, as well as flights to Baltimore, Kansas City, San Francisco and Cleveland.
Will Rogers also had about 38 percent more passengers than Tulsa last year.
As someone that has actually trekked to OKC recently in an effort to save gobs of cash, more low-cost carriers would be huge for either city.
OKC also has a behemoth airport for the number of passengers it serves, with grandiose décor.
I love flying from Tulsa, with its close proximity, free wireless internet and the redesigned terminal with plugs at nearly ever chair.
But a few weeks ago flying from Will Rogers to LAX saved me hundreds over flying from Tulsa, although I’m headed to Seattle next month and flying from Tulsa is actually far cheaper.
It goes to show, a bigger airline with more flights doesn’t always mean cheaper fares.
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